New Haven Manufacturer Fined $74,000 by OSHA

Four employees hospitalized after fire

A urethane coating and laminate manufacturer in New Haven has been fined $74,000 by the federal government for safety violations after a fire at its plant.

Uretek Archer, which had a fire as a machine was being cleaned with flammable solvents, did not have a system of shutting down machines and making sure their power sources are locked out while being cleaned, as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires. The company had been cited for similar violations in 2008, the agency said as it announced the fines Tuesday.

Four workers were hospitalized in August after the fire, OSHA reports.

The agency said there were four serious safety violations — an inoperable fire alarm, lack of protective equipment for workers, inadequate fire extinguisher training, and the lack of fire precaution procedures related to cleaning machines.

Uretek can contest the findings. A call for comment from the company was not returned Tuesday.